Art and theater reviews covering Seattle to Olympia, Washington, with other art, literature and personal commentary.
If you want to ask a question about any of the shows reviewed here please email the producing venue (theater or gallery) or email me at alec@alecclayton.com. If you post questions in the comment section the answer might get lost.

Friday, July 6, 2018

Puget Sound Book Artists Eighth Annual Members’ Exhibition

By
Alec Clayton

Published in the Weekly Volcano, July 5, 2018

"A Work in Progress"by Mary Preston, courtesy University of Puget Sound

Book
artists, meaning artists who create books conceived as works of art, combine
many of the most fascinating elements of books — stories told with words and
sometimes illustrated with pictures — and elements of visual arts such as
drawn, painted and sculpted images. When these elements are skillfully woven
together, the results can the magical.

The Puget Sound Book Artists Eighth Annual
Members’ Exhibition at
Collins Library, University of Puget Sound offers 57 unique and original
books by 36 different artists displayed in a dozen glass cases in the library.
There are folding books, books in boxes, books that are stand-alone sculptures,
accordion sheets of paper and cloth and other materials with drawn, painted,
sewn and sculpted images and decorations, and elaborate pop-up books. Many of
the books look as if the pages are meant to be opened, and I wish they could be
opened to see what, if anything, is on the hidden pages; but they can’t be
touched.

Some of the
books tell stories with words and images, whether fiction or non-fiction. Some
only hint at stories and thereby stir the viewer’s imagination, and some are
purely decorative or abstract with no attempt at storytelling.

The
complexity of these works of art and the patience, skill and inventiveness of
the artists who create them are truly impressive.

“The Puget Sound Book Artists have a
following and now an excellent reputation in the South Sound and beyond,” said
Jane Carlin, director of Collins Memorial Library and vice president of the
organization. “It is truly an honor to host this exhibit and each year. I am
astonished at the creative and inspiring art on display.”

Jan Dove’s “The Horseman” captured the
Curator’s Choice award. It is an accordion-fold book with illustrations of
horses and people in sensitive line drawings over fields of color. There are a
few lines of poetry that talk about hearing approaching hoofbeats and the line
“Let’s hope it’s not those four horsemen,” indicating, as I interpret it, the
four horsemen of the Apocalypse.Stylistically, the drawings harken back to Roman art.

A work that is similar in that it features
staccato line drawings over other images is Bonnie Halfpenny’s “With a Compass,
Without a Map.” It is also an accordion-fold book. The first page features
written text that briefly tells the stories of four accomplished women in the
post-Civil War era. Drawings of each of the women are created in black thread
over collaged images. The materials are tule, paints, thread and more. The
craftsmanship is admirable, as are the women whose stories are depicted. I
would like to find out more about them.

One of my favorite books is Sandy Tilcock’s
“Opening the Mouths of the Dead,” a two-sided accordion in a clamshell box with
images in intaglio, letterpress and hand painting. It illustrates the story of
a third-grade girl in North Carolina in the 1960s who used the Egyptian Book of
the Dead to “navigate her complicated relationship with her father.” This one
is a clear example of what I was thinking of when I said book art combines
elements of books and art. There is history, drama and beauty galore in this
show.

There will be a panel Discussion Thursday, July 12, from 5:30- 7:30 p.m. in the Archives Seminar Room, second floor.

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About Me

I am an artist and writer living in Olympia, Washington. I write an art review column, a theater review column and arts features for the Weekly Volcano, a community theater review column for The (Tacoma) News Tribune and regular arts features for OLY ARTS (Olympia).
My published novels are: This Is Me, Debbi, David; Tupelo; The Freedom Trilogy (a three-book series consisting of The Backside of Nowhere, Return to Freedom and Visual Liberties); Reunion at the Wetside; The Wives of Marty Winters; Imprudent Zeal and Until the Dawn. I've also published a book on art, As If Art Matters. All are available on amazon.com.
I grew up in Tupelo and Hattiesburg, Mississippi, and have been living in the Pacific Northwest since 1988 where I am active in many progressive organizations such as PFLAG (Parents, Family and Friends of Lesbians and Gays).